Why Women May Lose Out In Renewable Energy Jobs- IMF Report

The International Monetary Fund has said that men will likely dominate as the world moves to green jobs.

According to the International Labor Organisation (ILO), green jobs contribute to preserving or restoring the environment, be it in manufacturing and construction, or in new, emerging green sectors such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The IMF said in a report seen by THE WHISTLER that women will be the biggest losers when the world shifts to cleaner jobs because only a few of them study relevant subjects that are vital to green jobs.

This was according to findings by research conducted by Stefania Fabrizio, Florence Jaumotte and Marina M. Tavares.

The report said, “Men hold about 70 percent of the world’s polluting jobs, so one might think that they have most to lose from the transition to cleaner energy.

“After all, they risk finding themselves out of work as countries close down dirty industries in a push to decarbonize and reach net-zero emission targets.”

But the research concluded that “women are also at risk of losing out over the course of the transition. That’s because too few women study the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects that are vital to the green jobs of the future.”

It noted that green jobs which already employ one in 10 workers, are poised for much faster employment growth as the world shifts toward a sustainable economy.

The report highlighted, “Just six percent of women who work in advanced economies hold green jobs, compared to over 20 percent of working men. Green jobs employ an even lower share of women in emerging market and developing economies.

“This is significant because green jobs command a substantial wage premium over other jobs in the economy, even after accounting for workers’ education and experience, as our calculations based on several representative countries show.

“The gender gap in STEM education is one of the biggest barriers to women getting green jobs. These skills are essential for engineering, renewable energy, and technology sectors that drive innovation. But women remain underrepresented in STEM fields despite making significant progress in higher education.”